Shugo Chara!, Volume 1 »

WHO DO YOU WANT TO BE?

Everybody at Seiyo Elementary thinks that stylish and super cool Amu has it all: But nobody knows the real Amu, a shy girl who wishes she had the courage to truly be herself. Changing Amu’s life is going to take more than wishes and dreams–it’s going to take a little magic! One morning, Amu finds a surprise in her bed: three strange little eggs. Each egg contains a Guardian Character, an angel-like being who can give her the power to be someone new. With the help of her Guardian Characters, Amu is about to discover that her true self is even more amazing than she ever dreamed.

Publishers Weekly

Popular writing/illustrating duo Peach-Pit (DearS, Rozen Maiden) begins an inscrutable new series for young girls. Amu Hinamori is a fourth-grader in a new school. She's seen as detached and cool by the rest of the kids, but she just wants to find her place and fit in. One night she wishes she could be somebody else and when she wakes up finds three eggs in her bed. As the eggs hatch, each one bears a guardian angel for Anu, and each gives her confidence to tackle a new task. The fact that she has three guardian eggs brings Anu to the attention of the school Guardians, a panel of four students that have secret meetings and hold some sort of power over the school. Anu learns from them that most people only have one egg, and in fact there is a prophecy that tells of the coming of one with three eggs. Most of the story is spent setting up the odd cosmology and character roster, with only a few hints at upcoming action (involving an organization called Easter) at the very end. Peach-Pit's visual style is manic, with loads of embellishments and kitsch, but this should have solid appeal for their large fan base. (Mar.)